Think Antonios fee has been announced

[Guest Fedor]

I'm pleased we've got him - of course I am! But I do think if we've paid 1 million quid for him then we've overpaid. Not to say we've been ripped off because he's got a lot of potential.

But I don't see how that's a fair price for a player who has so far only really done it at League One level.

No comment

[Guest BoomTownOwls]

It's absolutely amazing that this myth continues to get brought up every so often.

Surely the last million pound players were the combined £5m duo of De Bilde and Sibon in the summer of 1999?

Yep.

Didn't we also pay 2 million for Jonk that Summer?

[lee81]

If we've paid a million reading have had our rogering pants down

[33]

Thank you MM...!

[Juror8]

It was undisclosed so they will be guessing as much as we are. The deal was likely "worth" £1m IMO but I doubt we'll be paying that up front.

This. Complex sale contract with a host of clauses, won't be able to be encapsulated by one figure. Sort of frustrating that so many fees are undisclosed but better that than being misled. Remember it being announced WH had signed Savio for £9m, when in reality, in the end, they only paid about half of that (because clauses in the contract weren't activated)

[DJMortimer]

Yep.

Didn't we also pay 2 million for Jonk that Summer?

I'm pretty sure he arrived the year before.

[i used to be sc_owl]

I would have thought very few deals at this level are straight up one off payments.

[Guest justcraig]

If we've paid a million reading have had our rogering pants down

Think of it this way, our team with him in and our team without him in.......................... He's worth a bloody fortune!!! Without him we'll create wee wee tail all! Even when JJ's on form, teams will just double up against him! With MA & JJ, no defence in the championship can afford to double on both!

No brainer, absolute bargain at a million for me! Plus MM & DJ have just put smiles on 40,000 owls fans! They'll take a fair few grand in shirt sales, tickets etc for this signing alone!

Just a CH CM LW and CF please now :-)

[southportdc]

So we collectively owe Uncle Milan £250,000 for being too eager then?

[markowl]

Jonk came after the 98 World Cup I think

[Swiss Toni]

I think Owlstalk should have a whip-round because it's probably us that forced the price up by another £300K

[Owl of Newark]

If (and it's a big if) we have paid £1M for Antonio, then I think we have paid over the odds. I think he is a cracking player but £1M is too much. That said, at least he is our man now and I am delighted about that. When he has helped us gain promotion his value will soar and we can turn down offers in excess of £5/6/7M. As others have said, thanks MM, you're ace.

[Juror8]

I would have thought very few deals at this level are straight up one off payments.

In an article, I read that the only people who do it are Newcastle. Ashley has insisted in it. Must have found a lot of skeletons in the cupboard when he arrived there. Don't like the man but he seems to have really turned them around off the pitch, got them running on business principles, and that's had a big effect on the pitch. Carr and Pardew take all the credit up there, but none if it could have happened without him, IM(judging from a distance and not having all the facts)O.

[dumboldowl]

whats he like on grass?

A bit loose, (like a pony).

[Taff_Owl]

If he helps us get to the prem to pay out that extra 200k, its a motherfooking bargain

[longley owl]

If all goes well that 1 million will be a sound investment and Antontio's value will triple, he's only young and has years ahead of him.........it's a gamble but a shrewd one and I for one bet it pays off for Milan.

[MirfieldOwl]

Whether it's a million, £750k or £500k, it's still bloody amazing.

During the dark days, I honestly thought we'd never sign anything but lower league free's again.

Thank you Milan.

Summed up perfectly.

[Freshfish]

In an article, I read that the only people who do it are Newcastle. Ashley has insisted in it. Must have found a lot of skeletons in the cupboard when he arrived there. Don't like the man but he seems to have really turned them around off the pitch, got them running on business principles, and that's had a big effect on the pitch. Carr and Pardew take all the credit up there, but none if it could have happened without him, IM(judging from a distance and not having all the facts)O.

..they did...a lot...three year sponsorship money spent before it had even hit the books to name just one....but plenty of others and a few that were rather more than suspicious...

[BRADDAZ]

No chance we've stumped up £1m up front.

[robswfc]

I feel a bit saddened by this, everyone's been banging on wanting Antonio signed and a guy has stumped up a million for him. You could say, don't get into football if you aren't prepared to lose yer brass but on this transfer it seems Milan has been pressured into signing him. I maybe naive into thinking a grown man could be pressured into it but there would've been uproar on here if he didn't sign him. Probably what I'm trying to say is that we all need to be grateful for this guys backing. Cheers.

I'm pleased we've got him - of course I am! But I do think if we've paid 1 million quid for him then we've overpaid. Not to say we've been ripped off because he's got a lot of potential. But I don't see how that's a fair price for a player who has so far only really done it at League One level.

You pay for potential. Antonio could be worth double that or more with one good season here. How much did Arsenal pay for Oxlade-Chamberlain? How much are Hudds asking for Rhodes? Players who've not 'done it' yet at the level they're being signed for can still be worth paying for. I don't think any of us thinks that Antonio will devalue over time....